Reform Programs Fail To Engage Primary Care Organizations, AHRQ Study Finds

Healthcare reform programs have not succeeded in broadly engaging primary care organizations despite years of effort, a new AHRQ-funded study has found. The study, published in Health Services Research, reviewed participation by the nation’s more than 56,000 organizations that deliver primary care services in three major reform programs: Medicare and Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Programs, commonly known as Meaningful Use; the Medicare Shared Savings Program; and the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Patient-Centered Medical Home program. Researchers found that 50 percent of primary care organizations participated in at least one program but only 1 percent participated in all three. Just over 14 percent of organizations participated in five or more years of Meaningful Use, but less than 1 percent participated in five or more years of the Patient-Centered Medical Home program. Researchers concluded that organizations participating in multiple programs are likely those already providing high-quality care. Access the abstract.